Mission Statement
Openarms mission statement: Bringing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning youth and their Friends together to build a peer-based community that empowers them to end isolation, create a progressive youth voice; increase well being and self esteem; and change the communities in which they live. Openarms Youth Project accomplishes this by offering peer based education, advocacy, recreation, information and leadership opportunities.
Description
Openarms Youth Project Inc. serves all youth ages 14-20 with focus on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth in the Tulsa, Oklahoma and surrounding areas.
Education is provided through once weekly group meetings, and are currently 60% of the organizations activities. The education provided during these meetings includes but is not limited to: HIV education, coping skills for living in a society that teaches discrimination and prejudice, skills to understand how discrimination and prejudice affect each of us particularly GLBT youth and their friends, coming out to family and friends, how to handle bullying in school, how to identify safe/unsafe environments. This group is facilitated by two adults both indigenous to the population being served.
Mentoring programs are provided for youth in need of such opportunity. Leadership is taught through our Youth Volunteer program.
Social programs are designed to provide safe social environments for the youth. The social programs will be organized by the youth, and their facilitator's
Openarms provides an on site counselor free of charge to the youth each week at our facility.
